Loading machines are known in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,061,977; 2,091,397; 3,800,830; and 3,345,903.
The herein invention embodies highly desirable improvements not present in or known to the prior art which are calculated to realize important objectives.
In general, the broad objective of the invention is to provide an improved, positive acting, reliable, dependable, manually operated machine for reloading cartridges by performing the individual steps of feeding the case, sizing the case, and removing the old primer, belling the mouth of the case and seating the new primer; feeding of the powder; seating the bullet in the case; taper crimping the case; and final discharge of the loaded cartridge from the machine.
In the achievement of the general objective, novel constructions are embodied in the machine which make possible the achievement of specific corollary objectives.
One of such corollary objects is to realize improved, postive, manually actuatable means for shifting the cartridges between stations comprising a shift plate which is physically constrained to be movable only normally to the line of stations and in directions parallel thereto.
Another object is to provide improved mechanism for removing the old primer from the cartridge and feeding and seating a new primer in the cartridge, said means comprising dies for removing the old primer which is actuated simultaneously with means in the form of a plunger stem which seats the new primer which has been positioned for seating. These operations are manually effected.
Another object is to realize safety in the provision of safety latch mechanism which prevents actuation of a head carrying the dies unless the manually actuatable shift plate has been actuated to advance the cartridges to the next station. This prevents actuating the head carrying the dies to attempt to perform a function on the cartridge cases without the cases having been advanced which could result in damage to a case or a safety hazard resulting from attempting to perform the same operation on a case twice. This latching mechanism embodies a safety latch which blocks entrance into a bore in the platform of the machine by a plunger carried by the head unless the shift plate has been actuated.
Another object is to provide improved powder feeding means which are more accurate and more reliable, this means embodying an adjustment of the size of the transfer opening which receives the individual charge of powder, and improved means for agitating the hopper when it discharges powder into the transfer carriage and when it is transferred from the carriage into the delivery tube to the station at which the powder is charged into the cartridge.
Another object is to provide improved coupling means between the cartridge shifting plate and the primer delivery and transfer means whereby upon actuation of the plate, a new primer is delivered into position for being set in the cartridge after removal of the old primer.